Daily wage earners accounted for nearly one-third of all suicide deaths in India in 2024, marking the highest share recorded in the past decade, according to the latest report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) and cited by The Times of India.
The NCRB data showed that 52,910 daily wage earners died by suicide in 2024, making up 31 per cent of all suicide deaths reported across the country. The figure marks a sharp rise from 2022, when the share stood at 26.4 per cent.
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Suicide deaths continue to rise
India recorded a total of 1.7 lakh suicide deaths in 2024, compared to 1.34 lakh in 2015, the report stated.
The analysis of profession-wise data over the past decade showed that daily wage earners, housewives and self-employed individuals continued to form the three largest categories among suicide victims. However, while the proportion of suicides among daily wage earners increased significantly, the share among housewives and self-employed persons declined over the same period.
The report also noted a decline in suicides among people engaged in the farming sector. Their share dropped from 8.7 per cent in 2016 to 6.2 per cent in 2024.
Tamil Nadu records highest numbers
Among states, Tamil Nadu recorded the highest number of suicides among daily wage earners at 10,556, accounting for nearly one-fifth of all such deaths in the country.
It was followed by Maharashtra with 6,811 cases, Telangana with 5,745, Madhya Pradesh with 5,299 and Chhattisgarh with 3,413 cases. Among Union Territories, Delhi recorded the highest number at 343.
Family problems remained leading cause
The NCRB report further stated that 62.9 per cent of all suicide victims in 2024 had an annual income below Rs 1 lakh.
Among the reported causes, "family problems" remained the leading reason behind suicides, accounting for 35 per cent of deaths, followed by "illness" at 17.9 per cent.
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The report also highlighted the most common methods used in suicide deaths, with hanging accounting for 62.3 per cent of cases, followed by consuming poison at 24.5 per cent.
